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Math 135 Business Calculus Spring 2009Class Notes
1.5 Di
ff 
erentiation Techniques: The Power and Sum-Di
ff 
erence Rules
LEIBNIZ NOTATION
So far we’ve been using the notation
f 
0
(
x
) for the derivative of a function
f 
(
x
), a notation whichwas introduced by Sir Isaac Newton. The German mathematician Wilhelm Gottfried Leibniz used thealternative notation
dydx
for the derivative. Both notations are used today and each has advantages incertain situations. The derivative of a function
y
=
f 
(
x
) can be written in either form
f 
0
(
x
) =
dydx.
The symbol
ddx
is called a
di
ff 
erentiation operator
. When placed in front of a function, it means“the derivative of what comes after it with respect to
x
.” Therefore
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
means “the derivative of 
f 
(
x
) with respect to
x
.”For instance,
ddx
(
x
2
) means the derivative of 
x
2
with respect to
x
, so
ddx
(
x
2
) = 2
x.
To specify the derivative at a specific number
x
=
a
, we write
f 
0
(
a
) in Newton’s notation or
dydx
ØØØØ
x
=
a
in Leibniz’ notation
THE POWER RULE
In the previous section, we showed that
ddx
(
x
2
) = 2
x
and
ddx
(
x
3
) = 3
x
2
.
These are special cases of the following general di
ff 
erentiation rule:
THEOREM 1 The Power Rule
For any real number
k
,
ddx
(
x
k
) =
k
·
x
k
−
1
.
According to the Power Rule, to obtain the derivative of 
x
k
we “pull” the exponent out in front andwrite it as a coe
ffi
cient and subtract 1 from the exponent.
EXAMPLE
Di
ff 
erentiate each of the following:
a)
y
=
x
5
b)
y
=1
x
4
c)
y
=
√
x
19
 
20
Chapter 1
Di 
ff  
erentiation
THE DERIVATIVE OF A CONSTANT FUNCTION
Suppose
f 
(
x
) is a constant function
f 
(
x
) =
ck
. The graph of 
f 
(
x
) is a horizontal line. Since a horizontalline has slope 0 at all points, then
f 
0
(
x
) = 0
.
THEOREM 2 Derivative of a Constant
The derivative of a constant function is 0. That is, for any constant
c
,
ddx
(
c
) = 0
.
THE DERIVATIVE OF A CONSTANT TIMES A FUNCTION
The limit of a constant multiple of a function equals the contant multiple of the limit. It follows fromthis Limit Principle that the derivative of a constant multiple of a function is the constant multiple of the derivative.
THEOREM 3 The Constant Multiple Rule
The derivative of a constant times a function is the constant times the derivative of the function. Forany constant
c
and di
ff 
erentiable function
f 
(
x
),
ddx
£
c
·
f 
(
x
)
§
=
c
·
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
.
EXAMPLE
Find each of the following derivatives:
a)
ddx
(7
x
4
)
b)
ddx
µ
23
x
5
∂
EXAMPLE
For a spherical tumor, its volume
V 
can be approximated by
V 
(
r
) =
43
π
r
3
,
where
r
isthe radius of the tumor, in centimeters.
a)
Find the rate of change of the volume with respect to the radius.
b)
Find the rate of change of the volume at
r
= 1
.
2 cm.
 
1.5
Di 
ff  
erentiation Techniques: The Power and Sum-Di 
ff  
erence Rules 
21
THE DERIVATIVE OF A SUM OR A DIFFERENCE
The limit of a sum is the sum of the limits. It follows from this Limit Principle that the derivative of a sum of two functions is the sum of the derivatives, with a similar result for di
ff 
erences.
THEOREM 4 The Sum-Di
ff 
erence Rule
For any di
ff 
erentiable functions
f 
(
x
) and
g
(
x
),
Sum.
The derivative of a sum is the sum of the derivatives:
ddx
£
f 
(
x
) +
g
(
x
)
§
=
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
+
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
.
Di
ff 
erence.
The derivative of a di
ff 
erence is the di
ff 
erence of the derivatives:
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
−
g
(
x
)
§
=
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
−
ddx
£
f 
(
x
)
§
.
EXAMPLE
Find each of the following derivatives:
a)
ddx
5
x
3
−
7
x
)
b)
ddx
°
24
x
−√
x
+5
x
¢
SLOPES OF TANGENT LINES
The slope of the tangent line to a graph at a point equals the derivative at that point. We can use thisto determine points at which the tangent line has a certain slope and to obtain detailed informationabout the graph.
EXAMPLE
Find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of 
f 
(
x
) =
−
13
x
3
+ 2
x
2
at the point(3
,
9).
 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 x
 –2 –1123456789101112
 y
of 00

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